The Team

Chris Kunisch

I was born and raised in Allendale, New Jersey and am a proud fourth generation owner of the Allendale Bar and Grill. I attended Hillside and Brookside School in Allendale and am a 1986 graduate of Northern Highlands Regional High School. After high school, I attended Mount Saint Mary’s University in Maryland and graduated from there in 1990.

After college, I lived for a year in Breckenridge, Colorado. I was a lift operator by day, and bartended at a local pub at night. I am very grateful for this year as I was able to get it “all out of my system” before it was time to come back to the “real world and get to work”.

I was the opening manager of the Mahwah Bar and Grill in 1992 and remained there until 1999 when I came back to the AB&G where I have been ever since. I truly love raising my two girls in the town I grew up in, and my ½ mile commute is something I have learned to love as well. I am very proud of the Kunisch Family’s 81 year presence in town and the many ways we have been able to give back to the community, the children, and the other residents of Allendale.

I met my bride at the AB&G, Jeannie was a waitress here in the early 90’s. We are the proud parents of two teenaged girls – Brianne and Caitlyn. We love to spend time at the beach in the summer and Vermont in the winter. I am an avid fly fisherman and look foeward to wetting a line every chance I get.

Elio Hernandez-Assistant Chef

Elio Hernandez is a resident of Bergen County and currently living in Mahwah. He came to AB&G in the summer of 2011. Also, started working at MB&G in the spring of 2012. He later was named the Assistant Chef in the fall of 2015. He is excited to keep learning and show his strong bond with the Kunisch Family.

Nicole Reynolds, Bar & Banquet Manager

Nicole is a native of Franklin Lakes, and currently resides in Ridgewood with her husband Jon. She began her career at the AB&G in March of 2009. Starting out as a bartender, then moving to bar manager and now banquet manager. She still currently bartends and is known for her creativity in mixology, participating in multiple mixology events. Nikki has a talent and passion for event planning, and has taken that to the private banquet room. She loves to travel and country music.

Michael Dawson- General Manager

Michael is a native resident of Bergen County, born in Westwood and currently living in Mahwah. He came to the AB&G in the fall of 2006. He began during his Junior year of college as a host and barback, and found himself moving through other jobs on the ladder through the years. Unable to deny his love of with the Kunisch Family’s style of ownership and operations, he accepted the General Manager position at the Mahwah Bar & Grill in the fall of 2011. In 2014, he returned to his roots as the GM of the Allendale Bar & Grill, where he happily works to continue the teachings he’s learned from Michael and Bobbie Kunisch, along with the current generation of owners.

Head Chef Pierre Romaine

Pierre began his journey with the Bar & Grill’s in Mahwah in 1993. He came aboard full time at our Allendale location in 1999. Four years later, he officially took the role of head chef. His name has become synonymous with the great cuisine the AB&G offers to its guests every day, and he is known throughout for his private catering events. He is the Founder and President of the Rose Foundation, raising money and aid to his native Haiti since 2009. Most famously, Pierre created and grew Tuesday Pasta Night at the Mahwah Bar & Grill since its inception in the fall of 1998. To this day, he still wows his crowds with a culinary display and delicious ingredients every single Tuesday night.

Timothy Zarychta – Assistant General Manager

Tim is originally from Rockland County, New York but moved to Allendale in 2004. He has been part of the AB&G Family since his sophomore year at Northern Highlands Regional High School when he first applied with us to be a Bus Boy. As the years went by, Tim slowly moved his way up the ranks until landing the A.G.M Position in 2014. With the huge influence of learning first hand from Mike Kunisch himself, Tim does everything he can to ensure that Mike and Bobbie’s visions are still portrayed in the restaurant every day.